Town Topic in
Mission,
Kansas is a 27 year old locally owned restaurant in a 1950s Valentine
Diner. The first Town Topic was opened in Kansas City, Missouri by Claude
Sparks in 1937. Town Topic's other two locations are at 2021 Broadway and
1900 Baltimore Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. Just a few blocks from
each other, the Broadway location is open 24 hours.

When you enter Town
Topic, you place your order and pay at the tall stainless steel counter.
Your food will be brought to your table and usually comes out fairly quickly.

My favorite item is
the chili, which is a little greasy, but tastes so good that I am almost
tempted to lick the bowl. The chili is thick, with only a few beans, lots
of meat, and well spiced without being too "hot." I think this chili would
appeal to a wide variety of palates.

But the malts at Town
Topic are worth making the trip. They are hand dipped and have great flavor.
The hand dipped malts and shakes ($4.45) are thick, but not too thick to
drink easily. I just wish they were served in a malt glass instead of a
styrofoam cup.

My favorite sandwiches
are the burgers which run from $2.95 for a single hamburger to $7.25 for
a triple cheeseburger. The patties are pretty thin and I usually get a
double cheeseburger with grilled onions.

Neither the onion rings
or French fries are fresh made, but the pork tenderloin sandwiches are
hand breaded.

This Town Topic has limited hours, closing at 7PM on weekdays
and earlier on the weekend. Breakfast is served all day.